Butterfly Bows Anklets

By Judy Gibson, 1996

I am very pleased that this pattern was selected for the 1999 XRX book, Socks, Socks, Socks. It was substantially rewritten and improved by the editors for that book. This version is the original pattern.

These were designed for my 10-year-old niece Sheri, who says that socks
with fold-over tops are for "little kids." These have stand-up cuffs
at anklet length.

The fabric is knitted in the round, giving a series of 5-stitch ribs
decorated by diagonal spirals of butterfly-like bows. It is very pretty
in variegated fingering-weight cotton yarn. I used Kraemer "Cotton Socks"
(75% cotton, 25% polyamide) on 1's (I think, or maybe 2's) at a gauge of
7.5 sts/in. Any sock-weight yarn can be used. The size will fit a large child's or small woman's foot.

Butterfly Bows Pattern Stitch

Multiple of 18 stitches, 24 row repeat (though you can stop at the end of
row 8 or row 16 if you want).

To gather a bow: reaching the tip of the right needle under the
four strands below, knit the next stitch. Adjust the tension of
this stitch until the strands are pulled neatly up into a bow.
On the first repeat of row 1, of course there is no bow to be gathered,
and at the end of the patterned portion, do a round gathering the
bows but do not do the slipped stitches.

Sock Leg

Work in pattern stitch as above until you have finished 5 sets of bows
(ending on round 17 of pattern, the second time through).

Divide for heel. Arrange 27 stitches so that 3 columns to run down the center
of the top of the foot, with 5 additional stitches on each side. The remaining
27 stitches will form the heel flap.

[From here on it is a standard sock, continuing the bow pattern on the three
columns that run on the top of the foot to the toe.]

Heel Flap

Knit back-and-forth in stockinette stitch, slipping the first stitch of each
row, until there are 14 chain stitches on each edge (28 rows), ending with
a purl row.

Heel Turning (Round Heel)

K 16, ssk, k1, turn.
sl1, p6, p2tog, p1,turn.

Repeat the following two rows until all the stitches on the heel needle are used:
k to one st before gap, ssk, turn.
p to one st before gap, p2tog, p1, turn.

Pick up one stitch for every chain along the side of the heel flap, knit across
the instep stitches, continuing the 3 bow patterns and the purl along each side
of them, pick up a stitch for every chain along the other side of the heel flap,
and knit to the center of the sole of the foot.

Gusset Decreases

Decrease one stitch every other row each side of the instep stitches, until
the total number of stitches is reduced to 54 again.

Foot

Knit evenly, maintaining the pattern on the top of the foot, until the foot is
1.5 inches shorter than the desired finished length. Finish the last bow, if
needed.

Toe

Adjust the stitches on the needles so there are 17 stitches on the top and the
bottom. Decrease 2 stiches each side of foot every other row until 30 stitches
remain, then every row until 14 stitches remain. Graft the toe stitches together
and tie off.

Note: For the second sock, you can make the butterflies spiral the other direction
by knitting the pattern rows in this order: 1-8, 17-24, 9-16.